As the first annual Portwenn charity fun run leads to unfit casualties and a price war between Bert and publican Mark Bridge Louisa's feckless, long-absent mother Eleanor turns up at the surgery. Louisa is not overjoyed to see her but she proves to be a very useful baby-sitter - until it transpires that her soothing herbal infusion that she put in the baby's feed contains alcohol. However, Louisa, sensing that her mother meant well, goes behind Martin's back and asks her to stay around whilst Ruth takes Al on as her permanent farm manager.